Eddie Munson's return: How it could happen (but should it even happen?)

 

Five months after its release, the air of melancholy after Eddie Munson's death in the fourth season of Stranger Things has considerably dissipated. Netflix really pulled a "Kevin Feige" (Yes, I'm calling it that) the way they killed off a fan favorite. Yes, it was sad. But his death means so much more, serving as one of the most memorable moments in the Stranger Things franchise, while also building up to whatever comes next. But that doesn't rule out something we all want: his return.

How it could happen

The internet is rife with fan-theories about Eddie's comeback. Him coming back as a vampire, a ghost, or healed by Eleven. But, from a realistic standpoint, the odds of that happening are slim. But what if Eddie Munson's return isn't exactly a "return". What if it's just one final appearance, a short and crisp one, not contributing a whole lot to the movie, but one that pleases the fans? 

Firstly, Eddie's coming could be initiated by what I call the "El Camino Method". Horrible name, but bear with me here. If you've seen El Camino, you'd know that the movie is teeming with cameos from dead characters. How? Flashbacks. It's the easiest way to bring back a dead character. Rather than the plethora of speculations out there, this seems plausible. Again, this is just an appearance, a cameo of sorts, and not exactly a return.

Furthermore, there is a way we could see Eddie again using a mechanism created by the show itself! Vecna's mind infiltration? Remember how Vecna infiltrated Max's mind and we got to see Billy? Something like this could happen, but to Dustin instead, a vulnerable young man, still grieving the loss of his best buddy. Such a return would have me at the edge of my seat, agape.

Need it happen?

A cameo is more than enough for fans to go all crazy! But a full-fledged return is an unbalanced weighing scale. On one hand, we have the die-hard fans who will lose their minds. On the other we have the general audience, to whom the whole affair would seem pointless and dumb, and quite possibly ruin the experience for them.

In my opinion, Eddie is better off dead. A well-established character like him need not return for one final showdown. His death was heartbreaking, something which brought many to tears. Moreover, Eddie's character arc was a memorable one. Bringing him back would completely invalidate the audience's connect and love for the character as well as his journey throughout the series.

We don't always get the best in life. Eddie's return, though fascinating to ponder, is not something people should be expecting. The Duffer Brothers know better than to regenerate a dead character. As fans of the franchise, we should be respecting the proper flow of the series and not expect too much.

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-Dharshun